Blue Christmas
by SilverHeart09
Summary: It started out awful, but this could turn out to be the best Christmas Pepper has ever had. Pre-Iron Man one-shot, full of fluff and Pepperony.


_I felt like I had to write something Christmassy, it seems to be a tradition of mine :) So here is a Pepperony fluffy pre-Iron Man Christmas one-shot, I hope you enjoy it and please please please drop me a review, I have sold my soul to that review button. This story could be seen as an extension of my Avengers' Christmas one-shots 'Cold December Night', but doesn't have to be :)_

_Love you all! Hope you all had an AMAAAAZING Christmas :)_

_Please review! Merry Christmas and a happy new year :)_

* * *

It was Christmas Eve and Pepper was sat in front of the TV with a glass of wine watching _Scrooged, _mainly because it was the only thing on. The time was 11pm and Pepper was hoping that the next ten hours would drag on as much as possible so she could avoid going to her parent's house for a little bit longer.

Pepper groaned just thinking about the havoc and chaos that was going to ensue and grabbed a cushion, holding it tightly against her chest and trying not to think about it. It was Christmas after all, Christmas spirit and all that.

It wasn't that Pepper hated her family per se, far from it in fact; it was that they all hated each other and Pepper seemed to be stuck in the middle of it all. Her siblings all got on fine with each other, but there was some tension between them and their parents. Pepper had nothing against her parents, other than their constant interference in her life, mainly her job. Yes, she was the executive assistant to Tony Stark and yes, he was a pain in the ass to work with but she hadn't quit because part of her actually enjoyed her job and the daily challenges she had to face. What she did _not _appreciate, however, was her mother telling her to find a nice lad and settle down and her father telling her that any man who was in the paper more than five times a week was trouble. To which Pepper had sarcastically replied that she was pretty sure the President was in the paper more than five times a week and her father had told her off for lip like she was still five years old and they hadn't really been on speaking terms since.

Pepper's phone rang and she picked it up and answered it without bothering to look at the caller ID, there was only one person who would be calling her this late.

'Pepper Potts, I mean Virginia Potts, I mean god_damit, _Tony, why did you have to give me a stupid nickname I can't shake off?'

'_Have you stopped checking your phone? I am so not your boss.'_

Ah, her sister then, not Tony, turns out there was another person who would call her that late.

Pepper sighed and checked the clock again. 'Sorry, Lizzie, you've never called this late before.'

'_And Tony calls you this late?'_ her sister replied, Pepper could almost hear the suspicion in her voice.

'Occasionally,' she replied, running her fingers through her hair and yawning.

'_Why?'_

'All kinds of reasons, he needs a ride home, bail money, more coffee, spare clothes, you name it- he's asked for it.'

'_He's been asking for it for a while,' _Lizzie said, but not cruelly. Pepper's sister was possibly the only member of her family that thought working for America's biggest playboy (with the exception of maybe Hugh Hefner) was actually pretty neat.

'Don't start, Liz,' Pepper said playfully. 'At least wait till the whole family is together so they can join in on their combined hatred for my boss, the man who helps me maintain my unhealthy obsession with expensive shoes.'

'_They are amazing shoes,' _Lizzie agreed.

'That they are. So why are you calling so late?' Pepper asked, turning the TV off and putting her glass and the empty dinner plate in the dishwasher.

'_Just checking you are still coming tomorrow,' _Lizzie said casually.

'You're not going to go if I'm not, are you?' Pepper said, turning all the downstairs lights off and making her way upstairs to go to bed.

'_Absolutely not, I can cook my own Christmas dinner thankyouverymuch; I need my big sis with me to take on the nightmare that is our family in the same room.'_

Pepper chuckled. 'Have no fear, I'll be there,' she assured her. 'How are the girls?'

'_Behaving themselves, looking forward to presents as usual,' _Lizzie said. _'Looking forward to seeing you as well. All they ever talk about is Aunt Ginny and whether she's marrying her boss or not.'_

Pepper groaned. 'Oh god, please no,' she said. 'I get enough of that from the press I can't handle them as well.'

'_So what's Tony up to tomorrow?' _Lizzie asked. _'Are you bringing him with you?' _

Pepper laughed. 'Hahaha you're hilarious. No, I'm keeping my boss far away from our family. I can't buy more shoes if he's dead.'

'_What? He hasn't left you anything in his will? Let me at him.'_

'I'm his assistant, Liz, not his girlfriend,' Pepper protested, sitting in her bedroom window seat and looking out over the quiet California night.

'_Yeah yeah, whatever you say, sis. So what are you getting him for Christmas?'_

'We don't do the present thing.'

'_He's a billionaire! It's not like he can't afford to get you a present,' _Lizzie said, sounding shocked. _'And I know you, Ginny, you've bought him something. Go on, tell me what it is.'_

Pepper smiled but said nothing and her sister sighed.

'_Fine, don't tell me, I'll see you tomorrow, you better be there or I am coming to get you myself.'_

'Yes, Lizzie,' Pepper said. 'Don't worry I'll be there, as much as I don't want to be.'

Lizzie hung up the phone and Pepper noticed she had an unread text message.

_**1 Unread Message From: Your super sexy amazing handsome fantastic Boss.**_

_**25/12/12 00:03**_

_Have a good Christmas, Pep. _

_Tony_

Pepper decided not to be mad at him for changing his name in her phone because _she _certainly hadn't put that. As she got ready for bed she sent him a quick reply.

_**25/12/12 00:05**_

_Will you stay out my contacts?! _

_You too, don't get too drunk, see you soon._

_Pepper_

As she was climbing into her bed her phone chimed again.

_**1 Unread Message From: Your super sexy amazing handsome fantastic Boss.**_

_**25/12/12 00:10**_

_Sweet dreams, say hi to your nieces for me. Tell Kirsty well done for being an amazing angel in her school nativity._

_Tony_

Do what now? How the hell did Tony Stark now about Kirsty's school performance? She certainly hadn't told him. Pepper pressed 1 on her speed-dial and the phone barely had time to ring before it was answered.

'_Ha! Knew that would spike your interest.'_

'Okay, bossman, I'll bite,' Pepper said as she cuddled up under her blankets. 'How did you know about Kirsty's school play?'

'_She called me a few days ago. Well she called you; I just answered your phone.'_

'Tony! How many times have I told you _not _to do that?'

'_So shoot me. She's a lovely kid though; she was telling me all about the show. Did one of the sheep really throw up in the manger?'_

'Yes, he'd eaten his dinner too quickly because his mom was in a hurry,' Pepper said sighing; of course Kirsty would tell her boss that.

'_Ew. I've done something similar though,' _Tony admitted.

'I can't remember a time you actually gave a speech completely 100% sober,' Pepper deadpanned.

On the other end of the line Tony chuckled. _'I was a kid, Peps; I think I was about eight or thereabouts.'_

That threw her for a second. Tony never talked to her about his past, ever; it was the one thing that never spoke about. Seriously, they spoke about _everything _else.

'What happened?' Pepper asked, cuddling her pillow and putting the phone on speaker so she didn't have to have it pressed uncomfortably against her ear.

In his living room in Malibu, Tony laid down flat on his back on the sofa and tucked a cushion under his head.

'It was a school performance of _The Speckled Band,'_ Tony said. 'You know, the Sherlock Holmes story. Guess who was playing Sherlock?'

'_You can't be serious?'_

Tony grinned. 'Really, Potts? Smartass genius kid? I was the best damn Sherlock Holmes the world has ever seen.'

'_No you're right, I can see that. So what happened?'_

'I was really ill, I had the flu or something but I managed to hide it pretty well, I was paler than normal but no-one caught me out on it, they thought it was just the stage lights.'

'_Why were you on stage if you were ill?'_

Tony paused and his smiled disappeared. He sighed heavily and put the phone on speaker.

'Dad had promised me he'd be there,' he said. 'I'd been bugging him all day, sending him constant messages, he promised he'd turn up and see me perform otherwise I would have asked the understudy to take over. So I went on stage ill with a thumping headache and an aching stomach and halfway through one of the scenes, where Holmes is looking around the house, I felt like I was about to be sick. I made it to the edge of the stage behind the curtain so no-one could see me and pretended to be examining the set for clues and all that and threw up into a conveniently placed bin.'

'_Oh, Tony,' _Pepper said softly.

'I did feel better after that though,' Tony admitted. 'I made it through the whole show without doing it again or fainting or anything embarrassing.'

'_And did your father turn up?' _Pepper asked, although she was certain she already knew the answer.

There was a pause for a few seconds and then:

'No, no he didn't. Jarvis did though, our Butler. I told him what happened and he gave me a hug and made me a hot chocolate and told me how proud he was of me. Dad came in around three in the morning roaring drunk and staggering around the house.'

'_I bet you were the best damn Sherlock Holmes the world has ever seen though,' _Pepper said.

Tony smiled. 'You can betcha bottom dollar I was,' he said. 'Anyway, my clock is telling me it's 1am so I better let you get some sleep. Have a very Happy Christmas, Pepper. Say hi to the family for me and give Kirsty a high five from me for being a totally epic angel.'

'_Will do,' _Pepper said. _'And, Tony?'_

'Yes, Pep?'

'_Take care of yourself; don't drink too much.'_

'Night, Pepper.'

'_Tony.'_

Tony heaved himself off the sofa and made his way upstairs, suddenly craving his soft, warm bed and comfy pillows.

'I'll try, Pepper. I promise.'

He heard Pepper sigh on the other end of the phone._ 'Goodnight, Tony. Merry Christmas, Boss.'_

'And you, Pepper, sweet dreams.'

Pepper hung up and Tony climbed into bed and lay there for a minute on his side facing the other empty side of the bed and wondering what it would be like if Pepper was there facing him.

At least he wouldn't be spending another Christmas alone.

On the other side of town, Pepper put her phone on charge and cuddled her pillow, pretending it was Tony, and soon fell asleep.

**XxXxXxX**

'Good morning, Virginia, Happy Christmas,' her mother said when she opened the door the next morning and found her daughter stood on the steps, a bag of presents clutched under one arm.

'Happy Christmas, Mom,' Pepper said stepping inside the warm hallway. 'Is Lizzie here yet?'

'AUNTIE GINNY!' two excited girl's voices called in unison.

Pepper smiled. 'I'm taking that as a yes then.'

Walking into the living room Pepper was immediately assaulted by her two nieces, both clutching presents under their arms with big grins on their faces.

'Happy Christmas, Bethany,' Pepper said, kissing her six year old niece on the forehead and then holding her hand up for Kirsty, who out of the two of them was the eldest at eight years old, to high five her. Kirsty did so and Pepper gave her a hug. 'The high five was from Tony for being a… I think he said a "totally epic angel" in your nativity. The hug was from me.'

'How did your boss find out about Kirsty's nativity?' Her brother Jason asked from the sofa.

Lizzie shot him a warning look but Kirsty answered his question. 'He picked the phone up when I was trying to get hold of Auntie Ginny. I said some of my lines over the phone and he said it sounded fantastic,' she beamed at her uncle, unaware of the death glares her mother and aunt were shooting in his direction.

'Of course he did,' Jason said.

Kirsty, being young, didn't pick up on his tone of his voice, but Pepper and Lizzie sure did.

'Tony likes kids,' Pepper said firmly. 'He always makes sure we go to the Variety fundraiser in California every Christmas.'

'Are you sure he goes to these benefits _just _to see the kids?'

'_Jason,' _Lizzie said, her tone cold.

'Foods up!' their mother called from the kitchen and Bethany and Kirsty jumped up and ran to the table, climbing up excitedly onto their seats and immediately pulling crackers.

'Girls! Wait for the rest of us,' Lizzie said, standing up and firmly taking the crackers out of their hands.

'Don't start,' Pepper whispered to Jason. 'Not today.'

'Hmm,' Jason said, but didn't say anything else.

Despite the glares currently being shot at each other between the three siblings, which did not go un-noticed by their parents, their Christmas dinner was delicious and Pepper felt thoroughly stuffed by the time she was finished.

'Why don't you two go and watch TV and play with your presents?' Pepper's mother suggested. 'I need to speak to your mom and aunt for a second.'

Pepper could feel her heart sank, she knew _exactly _what was coming next.

Once the girls had gone to play with their new toys, Lizzie immediately cut across her mother before she had a chance to say anything. 'Come on, mom, it's Christmas!'

'Don't interrupt your mother,' their father said.

'How can she interrupt mom when she hasn't started speaking,' Pepper said.

'Don't speak to us like that,' her father glared at her. 'You used to be such a lovely well-spoken girl, working for Stark has given you airs and graces. He's rubbed off on you, and not in a good way. I'm sick of it.'

'And what _I'm _sick of, dad, is you telling me what to do like I'm still a little girl. Mr Stark is more than my boss, he's also my friend. I like working for him, I don't want to quit and find another job or settle down with some bloke who works 9-5 every day and sits on the sofa drinking beer and watching football every evening.'

'Virginia, Mr Stark is no good for you,' her mother said. 'And you're not friends, that man doesn't have friends. Honestly, every time I see you now you're completely different, so much more defensive.'

'No good for me? You're making it sound like we're in a relationship! Which we're _not, _Jason, stop looking at me like that. And Tony does have friends, just not very many, he finds it difficult to trust people and honestly I don't blame him.'

'Oh he's _Tony _now, is he?' Jason said.

'Stop it! All of you!' Lizzie said. 'Pepper is happy with her life and her job, she doesn't want to change her lifestyle and none of you should be telling her what to do. Jason, get over yourself for god's sake. They're friends, nothing more. And if they were, would it really be such a bad thing? I've met Mr Stark once or twice when I've gone to the office to drag Pepper out for lunch; he seems perfectly charming and courteous, nothing like how he's portrayed in the press. Mom, dad, of _course _Pepper is more defensive now! Every time you guys are in the same room as each other you have a go at her about her job and her lack of a boyfriend and her life choices and all that bullshit!'

There was a long pause, which was broken by Jason saying:

'Since when do you call our sister "Pepper"?'

'It's a catchy nickname okay? It's difficult to shake off once you've heard it once,' Lizzie said.

'It's _not _her _name,' _their father said. 'It's a stupid name given to her by her arrogant boss because he can't be bothered to learn what her real name is.'

'That's not the reason,' Pepper said. 'He knows my real name.'

'Then why doesn't he use it?' Jason said.

'Because we both prefer "Pepper",' Pepper said. She stood up and threw her napkin down on the table. 'I think I should go, I can't stand this,' she said with tears in her eyes. 'Every time I see you now I get interrogated, it's _ridiculous. _I am happy with my life and my job and I am certain that if you met Mr Stark you'd like him. Lizzie, I'll see you at New Years. Jason, mom, dad, please don't try to get in touch with me until you've decided to leave me alone and let me live my life the way I want to.'

With that, Pepper hugged her sister, said goodbye to her nieces, and left the house.

**XxXxXxX**

In fairness to Tony Stark, he was so far doing very well on his promise not to get drunk. He was a bit of a Grinch at Christmas and he knew it, which probably explained why he had resumed his position of the night before and was lying on his back on the sofa with a bowl of beans and toast balanced precariously on his stomach watching _Die Another Day. _

When Pepper burst through the door looking upset about something, throwing her handbag on the sofa and narrowingly missing his head then storming up the stairs into the guest room that was essentially, though she denied it, her room, slamming the door shut behind her with a loud BANG, Tony got the hint that there was something up. Especially since she'd completed and utterly failed to notice that he was there.

She came downstairs about five minutes later in sweatpants and a t-shirt and sat next to her boss, retrieving her handbag and mumbled an apology about nearly decapitating him with it.

Tony sat up and put his bowl down on the coffee table, contemplating his assistant.

'Pepper,' he said gently. 'What's the matter?'

'Nothing's the matter,' Pepper said, looking dead ahead at the TV.

'Pepper…' Tony said softly, lightly taking hold of her chin so she was forced to look at him. 'You look like you're about to burst into tears. Tell me, what's the matter?'

Pepper sniffed and leant her head onto her boss' shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut. Tony hesitantly put an arm around her, unsure as to what the protocol was here. Tony rested his head against hers and decided he liked this position. Granted, it would have been better if she wasn't upset, but aside from that he could get used to this.

'Is that all you've eaten today?' Pepper said, eyeing his unfinished beans and toast.

'Hmm,' Tony mumbled, not wanting this strange cuddling/comforting thing they had going on to end.

'You need to eat something,' Pepper said quietly, sitting upright and forcing Tony to let go of her.

'You didn't seriously come all the way over here to berate me about my dietary habits did you?' Tony said. 'Besides, I thought you were spending the day with your family.'

'I was,' Pepper said. 'But…'

'But?' Tony prompted.

'But I decided that, if it's okay with you, I'd rather spend Christmas day with my boss instead of my judgmental family and their disapproval,' Pepper said, looking at her feet. She was barefoot, Tony noticed, and her toenails were painted a pretty sparkly gold colour.

'Does it have something to do with me?' Tony asked, feeling guilty.

'Maybe a little,' Pepper admitted. 'But they don't know you like I do.'

'I'm sorry,' Tony said quietly.

'Don't be,' Pepper said, squeezing his arm. 'My parents don't approve of anyone; they hated every boyfriend I ever dated.'

'So they'd _really _hate it if we were dating then,' Tony said.

'Oh dear god yes.'

'Shame,' Tony mumbled.

'Sorry, what did you say?'

'Nothing.' Tony stood up and took his assistant's hands, pulling her up with him. 'In answer to your previous question, Miss Potts, no, I don't mind you spending Christmas day with me, in fact I'm glad you did, I was starting to get lonely and bored, I need someone to annoy. Plus we both know that when I get bored things tend to explode.'

Tony pulled her towards the tree in the corner of the room that Pepper had insisted he have. It was only a little one, about five foot, decorated modestly yet prettily by Pepper with a sparkling silver star on top, and Pepper noticed that there was a present underneath it that hadn't been there before.

'I know we said we weren't going to do the present thing,' Tony said. 'But I had to get you _something _for putting up with me.' He picked the present up and handed it to her, smiling at the blush that made its way across her cheeks. 'Merry Christmas, Pepperpot.'

'Oh Tony,' Pepper said. She looked up at him and smiled. 'Thank you.' Then she retrieved her handbag and pulled a small wrapped present out of it. 'That makes two of us,' she said, handing it to him.

The next few seconds were filled with silence as the excited pair ripped the paper off their presents, then twin grins on their faces as their gifts were revealed. Tony unabashedly stripped out of his t-shirt and pulled his new 'Ah! The Element of Surprise" t-shirt over his head while Pepper wrapped her pretty blue bobbly scarf tightly around her neck.

'I love it,' they both said simultaneously, then grinned at each other.

'Seriously though, Potts, you are actually the best,' Tony said.

Pepper smiled then noticed the way Tony was swaying ever so slightly.

'Come on, boss,' she said, tugging his new t-shirt and dragging him to the kitchen. 'You need to eat something.'

**XxXxXxX**

Six hours later, the pair was stretched sleepily out on the sofa watching _Carry On Doctor _and feeling very full indeed after knocking up a miniature version of a roast for dinner and scoffing the lot in under five minutes, then having a fierce game of _Operation _and collapsing in an exhausted heap in their current position on the sofa.

The sky outside was dark and the room was lit with a warm cosy glow cast by the fire burning away merrily in the grate. Despite its crap start, Pepper could definitely say hand on heart that this was one of her better Christmas's, but there was something uncomfortable digging into her back. Pepper lifted her back off the sofa so she could reach behind her and pull it out, and then regretted it immediately.

Somehow, god only knows how but she suspected Rhodey had something to do with it, there was a piece of mistletoe under the cushion and, since Tony was sat next to her, she had effectively just waved it under his nose.

She didn't have time to process how embarrassing this moment was, however, because in the next second, there was a pair of hot, soft lips on hers and she was being forced back against the sofa.

She wasn't sure what she was more surprised at, that Tony's lips were soft or that _Tony Stark was kissing her._

And _wow _he was a good kisser. His mouth was warm and reassuring on hers and his hands were soft and gentle, one wrapped around her waist, the other behind her head supporting her neck.

Oh boy she could get used to this.

Pepper lay back amongst the cushions so Tony was essentially lying on top of her. He was at least doing her the courtesy of holding his body carefully so his full weight wasn't crushing her. One of Pepper's hands snaked into his hair and the other grabbed his hip and pulled him firmer against her body, feeling his heart beating fiercely against her chest.

Tony carefully pulled himself away from her when Pepper felt her chest starting to tighten from the combination of lack of air and Tony crushing her ribs and he laid his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and breathing her in.

'Remind me to thank Rhodey later,' Pepper panted.

'What for?' Tony asked, placing lazy kisses long her jawline and down her neck.

'For putting the mistletoe under the cushion.'

'What makes you think Rhodey put it there?'

This Christmas was now ranking #1 on her all-time favourite moments in her life so far.

* * *

_Please review! Love you all ^_^_


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